Collins et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,173, issued Nov. 5, 1991, discloses a "Multifunction Tool" including pliers jaws having respective tangs or butt portions remote from the cooperating work end portions of the jaws. The butt portions are pivoted to channel-shaped handles. The handle pivots for the separate butt portions are coaxial, enabling the jaws to be swung from a normal working position in which the handles form extensions of the butt portions of the jaws to a retracted position in which the jaws are nested inside the handles. Pocket knife type implements can be separately pivoted to the channel-shaped handles.
Other types of compound tools having cooperating jaws (such as pincers, pliers, shears or scissors) are disclosed in German Patentschrift No. 30788, issued Aug. 14, 1884, and in the following U.S. patents: Kolar U.S. Pat. No. 589,392, issued Aug. 31, 1897; Meloos U.S. Pat. No. 649,334, issued May 8, 1900; Lewis U.S. Pat. No. 662,005, issued Nov. 20, 1900; Heilrath U.S. Pat. No. 790,432, issued May 23, 1905; McCarty U.S. Pat. No. 896,746, issued Aug. 25, 1908; Newton U.S. Pat. No. 1,370,906, issued Mar. 8, 1921; Undy U.S. Pat. No. 1,467,661, issued Sep. 11, 1923; Di Maio U.S. Pat. No. 1,524,694, issued Feb. 3, 1925; Nielsen U.S. Pat. No. 1,561,993, issued Nov. 17, 1925; Frisk U.S. Pat. No. Des. 137,408, issued Mar. 7, 1944; Leatherman U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,862, issued Dec. 16, 1980; and leatherman U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,272, issued May 17, 1988.